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I’m getting extremely tired of the situation affecting women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I am frustrated because I feel that the United States is not taking action on this issue—there are organizations working on this issue, but there is so much more work to be done.

Just a couple of days ago, the Lord’s Resistance Army killed 321 civilians in a massacre. Approximately 80 children were killed and 250 civilians were abducted. The Lord’s Resistance Army has been raising hell for Congolese civilians for 23 years! Where is the action? Where is the help? The army pillages communities throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo; in this massacre alone they killed many women and mutilated many women and young girls. The UN Peacekeeping Mission in Congo has sent 1,000 peacekeeping troops to areas affected by the LRA’s reign of terror. I believe we need more civic action.

I have a vested interest in Africa’s well-being. I feel that a lot of affluent western liberal democracies believe that Africa has the potential to be great, but while immense atrocities occur daily, we so often turn the other cheek. Where is the civic action? Where is the media spotlight being shed on these massacres and genocides? So much of the African nation is embroiled in these human rights violations and we rarely here about it in America. What is going on?

I believe that as feminists we have a duty to speak out on these atrocities. I know that we often do not know that these acts are occurring, but I will definitely use Abortion Gang as a platform for issues such as this. It is important that we value women’s reproductive rights, but at the same time we should raise awareness on international issues such as this as well. All of these issues are connected, and it is our responsibility to make sure everyone knows that.